Fire destroys Springfield florist business Sunday

Republican photo by Michael BeswickFirefighters responded to a large fire that consumed the Smail's Flowers building Sunday afternoon on White St.

SPRINGFIELD – A Sunday afternoon fire destroyed a Forest Park floral business that has been operating for 37 years.

John Smail said he closed up his business, Smail’s Florist, at about 3:25 p.m. Just as he arrived at his Wilbraham home 20 minutes later, fire officials were calling to tell him the building was on fire.

“It happened so quick,” he said, while standing with other family members and watching firefighters pour water on the blaze.

The fire was reported just after 3:30 p.m. at the business on 684 White St. When firefighters arrived minutes later the building was already engulfed, Fire Department spokesman Dennis G. Leger said.

“It appears that it started in the rear exterior and spread inside,” Leger said. “It is safe to call it suspicious.”

Fire Department investigators are now searching for the cause of the blaze, Leger said.

It caused at least $250,000 in damage, he said.

About 20 firefighters spent about two hours extinguishing the blaze. They entered the building for a short time but had to leave because it was unsafe because the electricity had not been turned off yet, Leger said.

Firefighters closed a portion of White Street for several hours. A Shell gas station next door was also closed, but it was not close enough to be in danger of igniting, Leger said.

Smail said he opened the business in the mid-1970s and now runs it with his son-in-law Neil Phillips, also of Wilbraham.

“I had a lot of flowers and plants in there .¦.¦. we were preparing for Mother’s Day that is the biggest day of the year for us,” he said.